Every week, most of us look forward to the weekend so we can relax or hang out with friends. But did you know there was a time when workers didn’t get weekends off? Until about 130 years ago, people had no guaranteed rest days!
Many workers — which even included children! — had to put in 6 or 7 days, often with long hours and few or no breaks. It took years of organizing and protests for workers to get the right to shorter hours and time off.
The fight for fair treatment is why we celebrate Labor Day today! Labor Day commemorates the contributions of workers and the importance of treating all work with dignity and respect.
To help families honor this meaningful holiday, we put together a guide to teach kids about the history and importance of Labor Day:
How it all started...
In the 19th century, the United States was going through the Industrial Revolution, an era when the production of goods shifted from small workshops and the home to large factories powered by steam and electricity.
During this time, the average American worked 12-hour days, 7 days a week, barely earning enough to make a living. Even children as young as 5 years old worked in factories, mills, and mines all across the country. These laborers, including the children, also faced unsafe working conditions, without enough breaks, restrooms, or access to fresh air.
In response, workers began forming labor unions and organizing strikes to demand better pay, shorter hours, and better working conditions. They also wanted to acknowledge the contributions of everyday working people, without whom society would not function.
The first Labor Day parade
On September 5th, 1882, between 10,000 and 25,000 workers marched from City Hall to Union Square in New York City. This parade was organized by the city’s Central Labor Union to “show the strength and esprit de corps [solidarity] of the trade and labor organizations.”
Because of the success of the first parade, the Central Labor Union organized another parade a year later on the anniversary. By the late 1800s, the idea of Labor Day had spread, and cities nationwide were holding yearly celebrations for working people.
When (and why) did Labor Day become an official holiday?
In May 1894, workers of the Pullman Palace Car Company in Chicago went on strike to protest wage cuts. The next month, the American Railroad Union, led by Eugene V. Debs, called for a boycott of all trains using Pullman cars, which halted rail traffic nationwide.
In response, the U.S. government sent troops to Chicago to shut down the strike, which led to riots and the deaths of more than a dozen workers. The strike officially ended after 40 days and was ultimately unsuccessful.
In an effort to appease American workers after the 1894 Pullman Strike, Congress and President Grover Cleveland decided to make Labor Day an official holiday. By this time, 23 states had already passed legislation to make Labor Day a holiday, but it was not nationally recognized until President Cleveland signed it into law on June 28th, 1894.
Do other countries celebrate Labor Day?
The U.S. and Canada celebrate Labor Day in September, but countries around the world celebrate International Workers’ Day, or May Day, on May 1st.
So why do other countries have a different date for essentially the same holiday? Even though America celebrates Labor Day in September, the origins of May Day actually began in America!
In 1886, Chicago unions and political activities set May 1st as the date for workers across the country to go on strike for an 8-hour workday. Tensions arose between the striking workers and the police. On May 4th, during a protest rally at Haymarket Square in Chicago, someone threw a bomb, and the protest became a riot.
Eight labor activists were convicted in connection with the bombing, but there was no evidence against them. In 1893, the 3 activists who were still alive were pardoned.
Labor organizers around the world believed the activists had been unfairly convicted and saw them as martyrs. The 1886 “Haymarket Affair” became a symbol of the international struggle for workers’ rights.
Today, more than 80 countries around the world celebrate International Workers’ Day on May 1st. However, when President Cleveland made Labor Day a federal holiday, he decided it should fall in September because May Day had been linked with political movements like socialism and communism, and U.S. politicians wanted to distance the national labor movement from those ideas.
In the U.S., we now celebrate Labor Day on the first Monday of September!
Take a moment to reflect
Workers are important to keeping our communities running. This Labor Day, reflect on the importance of fair wages, safe workplaces, and reasonable hours for all working people. Many different kinds of jobs make up our world, and every role matters.
Curious to find out what job might be a good fit for you? Take our Career Path Personality Quiz!
Labor Day is a time to remember workers’ struggles and appreciate the jobs people do today! It reminds us why fairness and respect at work matter. Take a moment to thank the workers around you and imagine the role you might play in the future.
